Asia · Eastern Asia · Sovereign state
Current time in South Korea
A single time zone at UTC+09:00.
Sunday, May 31, 2026
About South Korea's time
A single time zone.
South Korea uses a single time zone, Korea Standard Time (KST), which is UTC+09:00. The country does not observe daylight saving time.
Major cities
Cities of South Korea.
History
How South Korea keeps time.
Prior to the late 19th century, local solar time was used across the Korean Peninsula, meaning that timekeeping varied slightly by longitude. During the late Joseon Dynasty and under growing foreign influence, Korea began adopting standardized time. In 1908, the Korean Empire officially adopted Korea Standard Time set at UTC+08:30, based on the 127°30′E meridian, before it was later adjusted.
Under Japanese colonial rule (1910–1945), Korea was integrated into Japan’s time system. In 1912, Tokyo Standard Time (UTC+09:00) was extended to Korea, aligning it with the Japanese home islands. This effectively moved Korean clocks forward by 30 minutes, establishing the UTC+09:00 offset that persists in South Korea today.
After liberation in 1945, South Korea briefly experimented with different time policies. In 1954, the government restored UTC+09:00 as the official standard, but there was a period from 1987 to 1988 when South Korea adopted daylight saving time for the Seoul Olympics, temporarily shifting to UTC+10:00 during summer months. Since then, South Korea has maintained UTC+09:00 without DST, despite occasional public and political debate about reintroducing daylight saving for economic or energy-saving reasons.
Did you know?
Things about South Korea's time.
South Korea’s single time zone, KST (UTC+09:00), means the entire country shares the same official time, which simplifies scheduling but creates noticeable differences between solar noon and clock time, especially in western regions like Seoul and Busan. Due to its eastern longitude and lack of daylight saving time, South Korea experiences relatively early sunrises and sunsets compared to more populous areas at similar latitudes—sunrise in Seoul can occur before 5:30 a.m. in summer and before 7:30 a.m. in winter.
Although South Korea briefly observed daylight saving time during the 1988 Seoul Olympics, it has since maintained a consistent UTC+09:00 offset. This stability benefits industries, transportation, and broadcasting, but critics have periodically suggested adopting DST to align better with trading partners in Europe and North America, especially for global business coordination. However, no changes have been implemented as of 2024.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about South Korea's time zone, daylight saving rules, and how to handle it in software. Can't find what you need? Email [email protected].
- What time zone is South Korea in?
- South Korea uses Korea Standard Time (KST), which is UTC+09:00. There is no daylight saving time observed.
- Does South Korea observe daylight saving time?
- No. South Korea briefly observed DST in 1987–1988 during the Seoul Olympics but has not used daylight saving time since then.
- How many time zones does South Korea have?
- South Korea has only one time zone: KST (UTC+09:00).
- Is South Korea in the same time zone as Japan?
- Yes. Both South Korea and Japan use UTC+09:00, though Japan calls it Japan Standard Time (JST).
- What is the time difference between South Korea and the US?
- South Korea is typically 13–17 hours ahead of the US Eastern Time Zone, depending on whether the US is observing daylight saving time.
- Why does the sun rise so early in Seoul?
- Seoul is located far west within the UTC+09:00 zone, meaning solar noon occurs well after 12:00 p.m., leading to early sunrise times, especially in summer.
- Can I expect to see daylight saving time in South Korea soon?
- As of now, there are no official plans to reintroduce daylight saving time in South Korea, despite periodic public discussion.
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